How Do I Apply for Medicare?

You are generally eligible for Medicare if:

• You’re 65 or older, and either a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident who’s lived in the U.S. for at least five years.

• You’re under 65, but have received Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) for 24 months.

• You have End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) or ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease).

If you’re already receiving Social Security benefits, you’ll be enrolled automatically in Medicare Parts A and B. Otherwise, you’ll need to apply manually through the Social Security Administration.

You can apply for Original Medicare in one of three ways:

Online: Visit SSA.gov/Medicare

By Phone: Call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213.

In Person: Visit your local Social Security office.

• Part A (Hospital Insurance) covers inpatient hospital stays, skilled nursing, and hospice care.

• Part B (Medical Insurance) covers doctor visits, preventive care, outpatient services, and durable medical equipment.

If you’re still working and covered under employer insurance, you may choose to delay Part B to avoid paying unnecessary premiums—but it’s important to confirm this with your HR department or a licensed Medicare advisor before making that decision.

After enrolling in Parts A and B, you may decide to choose a Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C) instead of using Original Medicare as your primary insurance. These plans are offered by private insurance companies and often include additional benefits such as:

• Bundled Prescription drug coverage

• Additional dental, vision, and/or hearing benefits

• Wellness programs and gym memberships

Enrollment in a Medicare Advantage Plan is handled through the private insurer offering the plan, not through Medicare directly. The benefit of using a brokerage (like Emerald Medicare) to enroll in a MAPD plan is they will usually handle the enrollment & application process on your behalf, acting as the middleman between you and your insurance provider.

If you prefer to stay with Original Medicare, you can add a Medigap policy to help pay for costs that Parts A and B don’t cover—such as deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments.

• You must have both Parts A and B to buy a Medigap plan.

• Depending on your home state, you may or may not have to go through medical underwriting and wait for approval.

Just like with a Medicare Advantage (MAPD) Plan, the best & easiest way to enroll in a Medigap plan is to reach out to your Medicare broker, who will advise you on the coverage options available in your zip code. Otherwise, you can reach out to the carriers directly to get prices and/or compare options, and even enroll directly with the carrier by reaching out to their customer service and/or new enrollment department. 

If you choose Original Medicare (if you do NOT choose an MAPD plan) you’ll likely also need a standalone Part D prescription drug plan.

• These plans are also available through private insurance companies.

• Enrollment is typically completed via Medicare.gov or directly through the plan’s website.

• Make sure to review each plan’s formulary (drug list) to ensure your prescriptions are covered affordably.

With Emerald Medicare, once you enroll in Original Medicare (Parts A/B), we walk you through all your coverage options and thoroughly explain how these options differ. We also handle your enrollment application(s) along with reviewing your list of Medications & Doctors to make sure there are no gaps in your coverage. 

Applying for Medicare doesn’t have to be stressful. At Emerald Medicare, our licensed experts can walk you through every step—from choosing Parts A and B to comparing Supplement, Advantage, and Part D options personalized to your needs.

Start your Medicare journey confidently—contact Emerald Medicare today!

(888) 683-6372 or (845) 358-1220

info@emeraldmedicare.com